They messed with the wrong cheerleader.
After the kerfluffle sparked by Glee's controversial-but-not-really GQ photoshoot, Dianna Agron has answered her critics (that'd be you, PTC) and while she apologized…kind of…for any overt offense caused, she's also sticking by her decision to pose provocatively.
"In the land of Madonna, Britney, Miley, Gossip Girl, other public figures and shows that have pushed the envelope and challenged the levels of comfort in their viewers and fans…we are not the first," she wrote in a blog post. "Now, in perpetuating the type of images that evoke these kind of emotions, I am sorry.
"If you are hurt or these photos make you uncomfortable, it was never our intention. And if your eight-year-old has a copy of our GQ cover in hand, again I am sorry. But I would have to ask, how on earth did it get there?"
Still, Agron, who says she grew up in a very sheltered environment, understands where the critics are coming from. And wasn't exactly the biggest fan of the concept herself.
"Nobody is perfect, and these photos do not represent who I am…Glee is a show that represents the underdogs, which is a feeling I have embraced much of my own life, and to those viewers, the photos in GQ don't give them that same feeling. I understand completely."
Agron explained that the magazine photographers had asked the cast to play "very heightened versions" of their characters, and while they all agreed, Dianna, at least, was slightly uneasy about the concept.
"At the time, it wasn't my favorite idea, but I did not walk away. I must say, I am trying to live my life with a sharpie marker approach. You can't erase the strokes you've made, but each step is much bolder and more deliberate. I'm moving forward from this one, and after today, putting it to rest. I am only myself, I can only be me.
"These aren't photos I'm going to frame and put on my desk, but hey, nor are any of the photos I take for magazines. Those are all characters we've played for this crazy job, one that I love and am so fortunate to have, each and every day."
Wow, a fair, balanced, well-thought-out explanation that takes responsibility without scapegoating (or incendiary rhetoric)? Consider us on Team Dianna.